Buchholz's next start up in the air

BOSTON -- Before the Red Sox departed Fenway Park for Logan Airport, John Farrell couldn't say whether Clay Buchholz would be able to make his next start. The righty left with neck tightness in the seventh inning of Saturday night's game -- tightness

BOSTON -- Before the Red Sox departed Fenway Park for Logan Airport, John Farrell couldn't say whether Clay Buchholz would be able to make his next start. The righty left with neck tightness in the seventh inning of Saturday night's game -- tightness brought on by an awkward throw to first base an inning earlier -- and still was dealing with soreness on Sunday.

If he's healthy, Buchholz would be scheduled to pitch Friday in Baltimore. Thanks to the rainout, after John Lackey and Jon Lester pitch Monday and Tuesday at Tampa Bay, the Red Sox need to find a starter for Wednesday -- potentially reliever Franklin Morales. After that, Felix Doubront could pitch Thursday, but then Buchholz would have his turn come up on Friday. It's unclear at this point whether he'll be able to go.

"I can't say that they're not interrelated at some point, but it was more the result of that awkward throw last night that started to trigger it and the cramping that followed," Farrell said. "Right now, he's day to day. Whether his next start is in question, we'll probably have a better read on that once we get through the Tampa series."

Buchholz already missed a start two weeks ago due to soreness in a joint near his collarbone. No one has ruled out a connection between that injury and the discomfort he's experiencing now.

"I think it's more a day-by-day thing right now," Buchholz told reporters after Sunday's game. "We'll see how I feel the next couple of days in Tampa and then go from there. It's going to be completely better whenever I come back. That's my sole purpose right now -- to come back without this happening again."